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Bausch + Lomb cutting 400 jobs in N.Y.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Layoffs at Bausch + Lomb's facilities in New York began Tuesday as the Canadian pharmaceutical company completed its acquisition and started its downsizing of the Rochester-based company.

Bausch + Lomb cutting 400 jobs in N.Y.

Bausch & Lomb's manufacturing plant in Rochester now houses much of the corporate staff since the eye-care company put its downtown headquarters building up for sale about 2 years ago.(Photo: Shawn Dowd, Rochester, N.Y., Democrat and Chronicle)

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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said 200 employees notified now; another 200 to be laid off in '14

Local officials had urged Valeant not to cut Bausch + Lomb's workforce

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Layoffs at Bausch + Lomb's facilities in New York began Tuesday as the Canadian pharmaceutical company completed its acquisition and started its downsizing of the Rochester-based company.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said his office was informed by Montreal-based Valeant that 200 employees would be notified Tuesday of the layoffs at the Rochester facilities, with each worker given the option to leave immediately or stay to the end of the week.

Another 200 Bausch + Lomb employees are expected to be laid off in early 2014, Cuomo said.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who with other national, state and local officials had been urging Valeant not to slash Bausch + Lomb's workforce, said he had a "commitment" from Valeant not to cut manufacturing or research and development employees in the current round, but that Valeant has not similarly agreed for the long term.

Valeant spokeswoman Laurie Little acknowledged that the layoffs were "painful" and said there are no plans to move local manufacturing. The company is moving forward with plans to move Bausch + Lomb's headquarters from Rochester to a site to be determined in New Jersey.

"Valeant Pharmaceuticals is excited about the acquisition of Bausch + Lomb and we fully appreciate the strong heritage and brand name recognition the company enjoys around the world," Little said in a statement. "Bausch + Lomb's U.S. contact lens manufacturing capacity is in Rochester and there are no plans to move current manufacturing lines in Rochester to any other location.

"That said, it is never easy to reduce employees and we understand and deeply regret the painful impact that a reduction in a workforce can have on communities and families."

Employees who mentioned the layoffs did not give their names, saying their jobs had not been affected but that they were told not to discuss specifics with reporters.

Valeant announced in May that it would buy Bausch + Lomb for $8.7 billion. At that time, the company said it would cut up to 15 percent of the company's global workforce in connection with its acquisition of the company. Bausch + Lomb employs roughly 11,000 to 12,000 worldwide and 1,700 in Rochester.

Mark Peterson, president and CEO of Greater Rochester Enterprise, said Tuesday that his information was that Valeant planned a much larger round of layoffs at Bausch + Lomb and intended to do them all at one time.

"This new plan works for Rochester and works for Valeant, too, since it gives them time to discover more about the B+L business," Peterson said. "This is a much different business sector from pharmaceuticals."

The layoffs followed an intense effort by local officials to mitigate the effects of Valeant's acquisition and downsizing.

Last week, a letter signed by Schumer, U.S. Reps. Louise Slaughter and Dan Maffei, Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks and Rochester Mayor Thomas Richards urged Valeant to maintain Bausch + Lomb's manufacturing and research and development workforce in Rochester.

The letter said the company "will come to regret the decision to move any significant number of jobs from Rochester, B+L's home for 160 years. The workforce in Rochester is highly dedicated, highly educated, and loyal. Unfortunately, it appears that their loyalty will not be rewarded in kind by Valeant — headquarters functions are being eliminated or moved without the workers even being given a chance."

In a response last week to the letter, Little said in a statement: "While Bausch + Lomb is a great company, the contact lens operations, which makes up the vast majority of the non-corporate based jobs in Rochester, has been underperforming for a decade and in need of a turnaround."